Topeka residents Monday night shared their thoughts on qualities the city’s new police chief should possess.

City employees, neighborhood improvement association presidents and a former Topeka Police Department captain, as well as businessmen and city council members, attended a 6 p.m. public meeting at the Holliday Building, 620 S.E. Madison.

Many of the 11 people who spoke want the new chief to be hired from within the department. Others said it was crucial the new chief be familiar with the city.

The goal of the meeting was to establish community priorities for the police chief position.

President Barack Obama has nominated current Topeka Police Chief Ron Miller to serve as U.S. Marshal for Kansas. Miller’s last day will be July 31, said city manager Jim Colson.

Miller was sworn in as chief of the police department in September 2006.

“He has served the community really well,” Colson told a group of about 25 people gathered for the meeting.

Deputy Police Chief Tony Kirk will serve as interim chief until a new chief is hired, Colson said.

City officials have spent the past six to eight weeks talking to people across the city and state to build a candidate profile, Colson said. Next week, the job will be posted. Two finalists should be selected by the end of the summer, and a new chief should be in place by October, Colson said.

The first person to speak was Joyce Grigsby, who serves on the Topeka Human Relations Commission. Grigsby said the new chief should be able to understand the different races in Topeka.

Ann Marshall, president of the Chesney Park Neighborhood Improvement Association, also spoke. She encouraged the city to find someone who is familiar with the community policing program.

Susan Bernhardt, mother of officer Jeff Atherly, who was killed while on duty in December 2012, said she would like the city to consider hiring someone from within the department who is very familiar with the city.

Mike Padilla, a former major with the police department, said he went through six chiefs in the 34 years he served. He asked the city to look for a chief who doesn’t have a “perceived idea of what the department should be.”

Those who weren’t able to attend Monday’s meeting can share their thoughts at http://www.polleverywhere.com/cityoftopeka. Those not able to participate can call the city manager’s office with comments at (785) 368-3725.